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A comparison of oral, tympanic, and rectal temperature measurement in the elderly
Shawn M Varney1, David E Manthey, Victoria E Culpepper
1San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Abstract:
This cross-sectional study enrolled 95 elderly Emergency Department patients aged 60 years or more to determine if rectal temperatures identify fevers more often than oral or tympanic temperatures when the chief complaint suggests an infection. A fever was defined as a temperature greater than 38 degrees C (100.4 degrees F). Discordance was defined as any patient with an oral or tympanic temperature of 38 degrees C or less but manifesting a rectal temperature greater than 38 degrees C and 0.5 degrees C (1 degrees F) greater than the oral or tympanic temperature. Rectal thermometry identified a fever in 14 of 95 (14.7%) patients who were afebrile orally and in 11 of 90 (12.2%) patients who were afebrile tympanically. Five of 90 (5.6%) patients were febrile rectally but were afebrile by both oral and tympanic thermometry. Thus, rectal thermometry identified fevers missed orally and tympanically in elderly patients whose presentation suggested infection. To identify these febrile patients with possible infection, clinicians must be attentive to elderly patients' vague clinical presentation.
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01:27Assessing Body Temperature - Rectal
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Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and don clean gloves to prevent cross-infection.
Step 2: Position the patient in a side-lying position to better visualize the rectal...
01:14Temperature Measurement Sites
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01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Tympanic membrane
Step 1: Begin by practicing good hand hygiene to prevent the transmission of microorganisms.
Step 2: Turn on the thermometer and wait until the ready sign appears on the screen to ensure accurate measurement.
Step 3: Slide the probe cover in place to prevent cross-contamination.
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01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Oral
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
Gently slide the probe cover until a click is heard. This simple action prevents cross-contamination and ensures the correct placement of the probe cover.
Step 4:
Instruct the patient to open their mouth and place...
01:19Assessing Body Temperature - Temporal Artery
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01:13Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature
Glass-bulb Thermometer:
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